The present disclosure relates to a sheet conveying device in which a plurality of sheet feed cassettes are disposed in alignment in the sheet conveyance direction, and to an image forming apparatus including the sheet conveying device.
Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus including two sheet feed cassettes that can be inserted into and pulled out from the apparatus main body in the same direction independently of each other. The two sheet feed cassettes are disposed in alignment in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the sheet feed cassettes are inserted and pulled out. This type of image forming apparatus is configured to supply sheets stored in the sheet feed cassettes to the image forming portion, from a position near a side surface of the apparatus on the side of one of the sheet feed cassettes. In that case, a sheet conveyance path is formed between the one sheet feed cassette and the image forming portion. In addition, the image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit for conveying sheets stored in the other sheet feed cassette to the sheet conveyance path.
In this type of image forming apparatus, it may happen that a sheet feed cassette is pulled out at a timing when a sheet stretches over the sheet feed cassette and the conveyance unit. In that case, if only the sheet feed cassette is pulled out, the sheet would be torn apart. As a result, the sheet feed cassette and the conveyance unit may be configured to be pulled out together. Specifically, the conveyance unit is provided with an arm connected with an iron core of a solenoid, the sheet feed cassette is provided with a lock plate, and the arm is engaged with the lock plate by actuating the solenoid. With this configuration, the conveyance unit and the sheet feed cassette are pulled out together.